Undercounter washing machine



Oct. 6, 1953 G. H. WOTRING UNDERCOUNTER WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1952 lll Inventor: Gaylord l-l. Wotr'ing,

His Attorneg.

Oct. 6, 1953 5, wo v 2,654,386

UNDERCOUNTER WASHING MACHINE Filed May 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: Gam lor-cl H. Wotr-ing,

l-lis Attorney.

Patented Get. 6, 1953 UNDERCOUNTER WASHING MACHINE Gaylord H. Wotring, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a, corporation of New York Application May 9, 1952, Serial No. 286,872

Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines, such as clothes washers and dishwashers, having a tub movably housed under the top of a work surface or counter, such as a kitchen counter. Such washers are loaded with the clothes or dishes, as the cas may be, and unloaded by pulling the tub forwardly, like a drawer, from under the counter-top. In this way, the work surface on top of the counter is made available for use at all times, and moreover the installation of the washer in the kitchen does not submet from useful floor space.

A washing machine of this character is described and claimed in the copending application of Jacob W. McNairy, Serial No. 28,465, filed May 26, 1951, and assigned to the General Electric Company, the assignee of the instant application.

My present invention is concerned with improvements in the water supply and drainage means for the washer, so that the water inlet and outlet of the apparatus are connected respectively to the water supply source and to the drain system of the house through air gaps which are located above the counter surface, thereby avoiding any possibility of siphoning and back-flow of water from the drain into the tub, or from the tub back into the fresh water supply source; and also so arranged that it is not necessary to use relatively long hose connections; in fact, my invention lends itself to a construction where hoses may be eliminated entirely. This invention is of advantage generally, but is particularly advantageous in those communities where serious objections have been a raised to the use of hoses of any particular length in the plumbing system.

In th washing machine disclosed in the abovementioned McNairy copending application, there is provided for the tub a cover which is located in the cabinet and remains there at all times so that when the tub is moved out, it is uncovered and therefore free to be loaded and unloaded. Means are provided for moving the air gaps which are located Well above the tub and any associated water receiving vessel as the kitchen sink; moreover, the drain connection through the cover is automatically brought into registry with a drain system provided for the tub when the cover is closed.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of dishwashing apparatus embodying this invention, parts being shown in section and parts being broken away so as to illustrate certain details of construction; Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken through the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in th direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating certain elements thereof in different operative positions; Fi 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating certain elements thereof in different operative positions.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my invention in one form as applied to an underthe-counter dishwasher of the type described and claimed in the above-mentioned McNairy copending application. As shown, the dishwasher is mounted under a horizontal tablelike work surface such as a counter 2, which is the top wall or surface of a suitable cabinet. The counter is provided with a sink 3 on its left-hand side as viewed in the Fig. 1, having a basin (not shown) located below the plane of the counter; and also with a cabinet area 4 located on the right side of the washer. The washer is provided with enclosing cabinet structure, preferably a separate one, so that it may be free-standing; this structure includes angle or channel frame members 5 covered by side and back panels 6 and a top panel 1 located in the plane of the counter 2. At the rear, this top panel is provided with an upright back splasher formed of spaced-apart front and rear walls 8 joined at the top by a horizontal wall 9. The cabinet is open at the front.

The washing apparatus comprises a tub Hi substantially square in horizontal cross-section, formed of walls which are open at the top to define a top opening I I which lies in a plane substantially parallel with the top counter surface and to which access is had to the 'tub for the insertion and removal of the dishes and utensils to be cleansed. The tub is supported like a drawer within the washer cabinet by means of an extensible slide arrangement including slide tracks [2 fixed to the frame, slides l3 fixed to the tub, and cooperating center slides I4 with rollers l5 and I6 which slide on the slides l3 and !2 respectively; it will be understood that the extensible slides support the tub for sliding movement out of the front of the cabinet and for return movement into it. The front of the tub carries a front panel I! which closes the front opening of the cabinet when the tub is pushed back into it. It will be understood that the tub will carry within it suitable trays (not shown) for supporting the utensils to be cleaned, and with a suitable impeller (also not shown) for circulating water over and about the dishes to wash them; the impeller is provided with an exterior driving motor 19 located below the tub and carried by it.

The top opening H of the tub is closed by means of a cover 20, preferably made of a comparatively thin resilient sheet metal. This cover seals with the upper edge of the tub by means of a resilient gasket 2| attached to the upper edge and compressed by the cover when it is forced down into its closing position.

The cover 20 is supported above the tub and under the counter by a channel member 22 extending centrally across the top of the washer cabinet from side to side below the top 1. The channel is provided with horizontal side arms 23 on which compression springs 24 are mounted; these springs carry at their upper ends washers 25 which are connected to lifting pins 26, in turn secured to a pressure plate 21 extending across a substantial area of the top of the cover plate 20. The pressure plate 21 is secured to the cover plate by bolts 28. When the pins 26 and washers 25 are lifted by springs 24, they raise the pressure plate 21 and the cover 20 upwardly and away from the tub. The tub is closed by means of an operating shaft 29 journaled in the cross channel 22 and in the front framework of the cabinet. Mounted on the shaft 29 is a cam 39 which is journaled in the cross channel, as shown. The face of the cam rides on a pressure roller 3| so that rotation of the shaft 29 to rotate the cam will effect either release of the cover or the camming shut thereof, as desired. Shaft 29 is provided with an operating handle 32 accessible at the front of the washer cabinet. Camming of the cover shut not only seals it, but also holds the whole assembly in closed position.

Fresh water is supplied to the tub for washing action from a source of water supply shown as a fixed pipe 33 which will be connected to the water supply piping system of the house. This pipe is connected with a pipe 34 positioned vertically within the washer cabinet at one rear corner thereof through a suitable supply control valve 35, the pipes 33 and 34 and the valve 35 being stationary in the cabinet. The pipe 34 extends up through the cabinet and into the back splasher between the walls 8 thereof to a point just below the splasher top wall 9 where the vertical section of the pipe terminates in a horizontal section 3411 which extends transversely to cross to a point above the cover plate 20, where it is provided with a downwardly directed discharge end 341). The discharge 34b is directly above a funnel 36 fixedly supported from the rear wall of the cabinet by a bracket 3! (Figs. 4 and 5). The funnel empties into the tub through a pipe system including a short flexible hose 38 and an elbow 39 connected to the hose and mounted on and to discharge through the cover 20. The discharge end 34?) is spaced above the entrance of the funnel 36 to provide an air gap between them, which gap will prevent water from siphoning back out of the tub in the event of an abnormal pressure drop in the water supply line. Preferably and as shown, the funnel 36 is connected to the hose 38 through a suds trap 39a which may be formed integrally with the funnel, as shown and any fiow of water from the gap will be received by a battle 39b and directed from the bafile to an opening 390 in the back splasher to the top I for flow to the sink 3.

The air gap in the water supply line, located as it is in the back splasher well above the top of the sink, obviates the possibility of contaminated water ever getting into the water supply line due to a back siphoning condition.

The tub is drained from its bottom through a drain opening 40 in the bottom of the tub; the opening 40 is the intake to a centrifugal pump 4!, also driven by the motor 19. The discharge or outlet of the pump communicates with a discharge pipe 42 in which a drain valve 43 is located, and thence through a U-shaped pipe 44 to a vertically positioned pipe 45. Pipe 45 extends vertically along the back of the tub, enters the tub through its rear wall at a point adjacent its top (Figs. 1 and 2) and, by means of an elbow 46 within the tub, is connected with a vertically positioned pipe 41 which terminates at the cover 20; in other words, pipe 41 discharges in a plane which is substantially in the plane of the top opening I l of the tub. It will be understood that the pipe 45 enters the tub adjacent the top soas not to interfere with the racks for the dishes which are placed within the tub. The cover 20 carries a discharge pipe 48 in the form of an elbow sealed into the cover, and provided with an annular flexible sealing member 49 which engages in sealing relation with a flat flange 50 on the upper end of pipe 41 when the cover is closed. Elbow 48 discharges into a pipe 5| of elbow shape, having its lower end connected to the elbow 48 through a short hose 52, and extending upwardly into the back splasher, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The elbow 5| extends to a point adjacent the top Wall 9 of the back splasher, then extends horizontally therefrom and terminates in a downturned discharge end 53. Discharge end 53 is positioned above and discharges into a drain pipe 54 fixed in the washer cabinet at the rear, as shown. Pipe 54 in most installations will discharge into the drain of the sink 3 at a point above its trap (not shown). Here again, an air gap is provided between the discharge 53 and the upper end of the drain 54; this air gap prevents back siphoning of soiled fluid from the drain system into the tub; and again any water flowing from the air gap is directed by a bafile 54a to an opening 541) from which it is directed to the top 7 from which it may fiow into the sink 2.

While most communities will accept the relatively short hoses of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and just described, it will be clear that these hoses may be eliminated and that in the supply system, the funnel 36 may be rigidly connected to and carried by the elbow 39, and hence by cover 20; and in the drain system, the two elbow conduits 4B and 5! may be rigidly connected together and carried by the cover 20 as a unit. It will be understood that in this arrangement, when the cover is raised and lowered to open and close the tub, the rigid conduits 49 just described will move upwardly and downwardly as units with the cover, the air gaps absorbing the movement of these members. Here, of course, sufficient room must be provided in the back splasher to allow for this vertical movement of the pipes.

It will be noted that in both the case of the water supply and drain conduit systems should there be any back flow of water in either of them, the water will fiow out of the respective air gap at a point above the sink and into which the water flowing out of the gap will gravitate; and that this flow will constitute a visual signal that something is wrong in the particular pipe system in which the overflow occurs.

While I have disclosed particular embodiments of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a washing machine of the type having a stationary cabinet with a substantially horizontal counter surface and a tub with an open top slidably mounted under said counter surface for movement between a position under said counter and a position withdrawn from said counter, that improvement comprising a cover for said open top carried by said cabinet under said counter surface, means for moving said cover vertically between closed and open positions with respect to said tub, a liquid draining system for conveying liquid from the tub including a pump provided with an intake connected with the lower portion of the interior of the tub, a conduit carried by said tub having one end connected with the discharge of said pump and extending into said tub up to a point where its discharge end lies substantially in the plane of said top opening, and an exterior conduit mounted on said cover with its entrance opening aligned with said other end so as to establish a continuous liquid connection between said conduits when the cover is closed.

2. In a washing machine of the type having a stationary cabinet with a substantially horizontal counter surface and a tub with an open top slidably mounted under said counter surface for movement between a position under said surface and a position withdrawn from. said cabinet, that improvement comprising a cover for said open top carried by said cabinet under said counter surface, means for moving said cover vertically between its open and closed positions with respect to said tub, a liquid transfer system for conveying liquid between the tub and an external pipe including a conduit outside of the tub carried by it and connected at one end with the interior of the tub, and its other end portion extending into the tub and upwardly therein so that its other end terminates substantially in the plane of the top opening of the tub, an exterior conduit mounted on said cover with its entrance opening aligned with said other end, so as to establish a. continuous liquid connection between said conduits when the cover is closed, said exterior conduit extending upwardly from said cover and provided with a downwardly directed discharge end discharging at a level above said tub, and a stationary conduit having a vertical end section with the opening thereof aligned with said discharge end and spaced below it by an air gap.

3. Washing apparatus comprising walls forming a cabinet with a front opening therein and an upwardly extending hollow back splasher at the rear, an open top tub slidably mounted in said cabinet for movement out of said front opening and back into it to its working position, a cover for the open top of said tub within said cabinet, means mounting said cover for vertical movement with respect to said tub between an upper raised position and a lower closed position with respect to said tub, means for moving said cover between said positions, and means for draining said tub including a pump having its intake connected with the bottom of said tub, a conduit connected with the discharge of said pump extending upwardly with a section entering said tub and its upper end terminating in the plane of said top opening of the tub, a second conduit carried by said cover in alignment with said upper end of said section to form with it a continuous conduit when the cover is closed, a third conduit connected with the discharge of said second conduit extending upwardly into said hollow back splasher and there provided with a down-turned discharge end, and a drain pipe fixed in said cabinet extending up into said back splasher and having an entrance opening spaced by an air gap below said down-turned end.

4. Washing apparatus comprising walls forming a cabinet with a front opening therein and an upwardly extending hollow back splasher at the rear, an open top tub slidably mounted in said cabinet for movement out of the front opening of the cabinet and back into it to its working position, a cover for the open top of said tub within said cabinet, means mounting said cover for vertical movement with respect to said tub between an upper raised position and a lower closed position with respect to said tub, means for moving said cover between said positions, and means for supplying water to said tub including a supply pipe fixed in said cabinet and extending upwardly into said hollow back splasher and there provided with a down-turned discharge end, a second conduit fixed in said cabinet having an entrance opening in alignment with and spaced from said discharge end by an air gap and having its discharge end mounted on said cover to move with it and extending through said cover to open into said tub when said cover is in its closed position.

5. In a washing machine of the type having a stationary cabinet with a substantially horizontal counter surface and a tub with an open top slidably mounted under said counter surface for movement between a position under said counter and a position withdrawn from said counter, that improvement comprising a cover for said open top carried by said cabinet under said counter surface, means for moving said cover downwardly to close said tub and upwardly to open it, and a liquid transfer system for said tub including an external pipe fixed in said cabinet and having a vertical section opening at a level above said counter surface, a conduit carried by said cover to move with it, and conduit means connecting said conduit with said pipe opening including a section extending upwardly from said conduit and having an opening above said counter surface spaced from and in alignment with said opening of said pipe.

GAYLORD H. WOTRING.

No references cited. 

